BUFFALO, N.Y. - The state is now warning Wegmans that it could start pulling the liquor licenses to its stores after it was already fined over $1 million.
A little more than a week ago, the State Liquor Authority announced Wegmans, and five of its affiliated liquor stores, would be fined for illegally running its liquor stores.
State law prohibits chain liquor stores and requires each one to be independently owned and operated.
A key moment happened during the store's November hearing when attorney, Laura Schwalbe, of Buffalo said she was there to represent all five independent liquor stores.
"I find it problematic that even at this stage, these 5 are being sort of represented together and dealt with together in one batch here. It's hard for me to believe that moving forward these five wine stores are not gonna be working together," said, Lily Fan, commissioner of the State Liquor Authority.
The state liquor authority warned that if the stores are not run independently, that all of their licenses will be pulled.